Conveyer for confections for conditioning and other purposes



Sept. 14, 1943. A. l.. BAUsMAN CONVEYER FOR CONFECTIONS FOR CONDITIONING AND OTHER PURPOSES Original Filed July l0, 1940. 3 Sheets-Sheet l Il III I IIIIIIIIIIIIII vwvl W A. L. BAUsMAN CONVEYER FOR CONFECTIONS FOR CONDITIONING AND OTHER PURPOSES sept. 14,y 1943.

3 Shee'cs-SheeiI 2 Original Filed July 10, 1940 Sept. 14, 1943. A, BAusMAN CONVEYER FOR CONFECTIONS FOR CONDITIONING AND OTHER PURPOSES Original Filed July 10, 1940 3 Sheets-Sheet` 3 W Y i l Patented Sept. i4, 1943 a,.329,17s e i ooNvEYER FO'RZCONFE'oTios Fortooii--` f DITIONING 'AND OTHER ruarosrs e Alonzo Linton Bausman, Springfield, lll/lass.,V assignor to National Equipment Co., Springfield, .p Mass., a corporation of Massachusetts 'Ifl original application July 1o, 1940, serial :Noi f v 344,727. Divid'edsand thisapplication `May 13;

1941? Serial No. 393,214

i claim. (o1. iss-#ati 1' i This invention relates to improvements inapparatus-foruse in connection With the manufacture of -confections and the like and is directed more particularly to. improvements in conveying apparatus adapted for use in combination with apparatusv for performing various steps `in the process ucts. 1

This application is a `division of` my pending application Ser. No. 344,72*?.i1ed July `10; 1940. l

-Iri` the manufacture of confection's such 4vas candy it islusual practice to cover or coat pieces of material With'some such'material as chocolate or the like and it is usually desiredthat the confection vbe conditioned, tempered ror cooled as hy conveying `the confvectionsI through a comparti mentor the like which contains or into Whichfris directed air for the desired conditioning; y

According to the novel features of this inventonzthe're 'is provided a'conveying apparatus vvhicrrvisK adapted for use in combination apparatus tory applying coatings ork coverngsto candies or the like that is constructed and arranged to receive v the confection and to convey thesameinto or through-a compartment or corn'` partinents for the desired conditioning or cooling' operations andv then to ,deliver the same to alunit of manufacturing confections and similarprodsuch asfa packing table or conveyer kWhere the confections may be'inspected; Wrapped, or packaged all as maybe desired. f y

"The apparatus ofthe invention is adapted for var'iouspurposes buts particularly adaptedior use, in the confection manufacturing industry hence AVthe reference herein to "the manufacture of confeetionsfis to facilitate a clear understanding` of they novel features of the invention' 'and for the purposes of ,disclosure the term goods may niveanconfections orotherproducts. y f

important feature ofthe invention 'includes the Vprovisionnof al flrstconveyer' for receiving goods frorn'some apparatusused in combination therewith, a second conveyer for delivering the goods to some form 'of apparatus for :subsequent .outer memberss a Separate-, goods-supporting inenrh'ersy are disposed between the pairs of end-- less. members Withftheiriopposite ends carried by the 'outer *and innerendless members of thepairsiv The endless members `are supported and directed in such away that the goodssupporting'members of therst-s'ection are moved generallyl'tinwardly and upwardly from va lower level and'then bacle Y and forthin horizontal planesto an upper level.` Then the goods Aare transferred 'from successive goods-supports in the upper level onto goodsj supports of the endless members of the second section. Wllichv endless members are arranged' to move-the said goodsusupports 4drnivnwardly tothe lower level and otherwiseftoand through'a disfcharging position AWhere the'goods may be dise charged onto' avlelt-er the like of avpacking/apparat-'us forrespective Wrapping or packaging, f

As astll further feature the goods supporting members' carried by 'the "lnexible membersfor supporting the` -geodsare V'relativelif:nerim-ei and shelves or supporting members are provided over whichthe goo dssupporting members travel from` horizontal to verticalpositions or' vice versaI The n shelf' `irren-mers or supports are arranged and.

, adapted to positionthe goods-supporting mem bers in such avvayas tocclfos'e the gap between a goo'dsfsuppo-it andan adiacent Vunit to facilitate ti'ansiers'encey of goodsiento or" the goods.-

supports or one' section tothe 'othersiiit stur fura-ner feature of, the invention provides i ajstructure wheremltne endlessiiexibleconvyen operations, andA an improved transfer device for transferring'the goods from the first conveyerto the second conv'eyer. These conveyers are here--r e inafter referred to as sections for the reason'that together they provide conveyingapparatushaving the transfer device associated with them. @The novel'features and advantages of the-'in vention are `Aaccomplished in abroad Way bypro- Viding in each of the before-mentioned rstand secondsections, pairs'of' transversely spacedlendfless conveyor 'inem-bers; `which may' he chains or the like, each-'of the pairs' consisting of inner-and orr'ning vmembers Vare"s"imported iii-suon a Wai thatthe goodsesuppo'rting members tiereofi when supporting' 'goeds are disposed in horiz-omai pesi# tions at all'tirnes eitnerwnen being moved upf wardly, downwardly,"nofizontally, oir when' the"v direction eimer/'ement is changed fromme; vertialito,noriioni'ailorvicepersa;`

YvvitnA the foregoing. and., various 'other' never featuresfand advantages and other 'oljectsj o'f riiy' invention. as will vloecome more' apparent as the description proceeds, the invention consists' certain never features of const ruQc't'ionarflfdhin` the combination and: arrangenient'r ot parte as" will be I'ie'reinaiter morefparticularly poirlited` outy he uily described claim. hereunto annexed andcmor A @he S'Cm and referred toi-in connection wim penyingdrawings; wherein; y

Figo tzlisnacside eievationalvieW-of a conveyer. i apparatusoi the? invention gslrownr in `comloi-nation .Withzjaipri'atusifor delivering. goods-to and Figs. 6 and 7 are diagrammatic perspective' "i views of portions of the conveyer to explaincertain features thereof;

Fig. 8 is a sectional planview on the line 8-8 of Fig. l;

Fig. 9 is a sectional elevational view on the line 9-9 of Fig. 8; and

Fig. 10 is an elevational view of the operating mechanism'for one of the shelf members of the apparatus. f

Referring to the drawings more in detail, the invention will now be described more fully.

In Fig. l there is indicated generally by 2 a conveyer housing which may have side walls such as 4, and bottom, upper and end walls associated therewith. -The walls may be arranged to form an enclosure or compartment within which the conveying apparatus is located and means for conditioning the atmosphere within the compartment may be provided such as for cooling or the like. That is, air conditioning as may be vdesired may be delivered into the compartment at one or more points. l f

In the form of the invention shown, the side walls serve generally to support the mechanism of thev conveyer but in another way the conveyer structure maybe supported by a frame work 1ocated within a room or compartment. The particularform of the frame work or compartment may be varied within wide limits to suit requiref ments. e

At 6 is represented a feed unit forfeeding goods to a unit 8 which, in the .form of the invention shown, applies coating material to the goods. The goods are received from the unit il onto an initial horizontal run ofthe conveyer of theinvention and said goods are discharged from the conveyor to a unit I0 where said goods may be inspected, packaged, or wrapped.

L Obviously other units fthan those shown may be used in lassociation with the conveyer if desired. The conveyor apparatus includes in a gen#` eral `way rst andsecond co-operating sections represented in Fig. 2 by l2 and I4. Goods Vare received at a relatively low level of the first section, conveyed back and forth and upwardly therein to a higher level Aand transferred to an upperlevel of the second section 'and carried thereby to a lower level for discharge. y

Each conveyor section has spaced pairs of endlessconveyer members at opposite longitudinal sides thereof and the said :pairs 'of members each consist of outer and inner flexible members which may be in the form of chains, such as roller or block chainsl where links are hingedly connected to rollersor blocks. The pairs of chains in the rst section are indicated generally by I6 and I8 in Fig. 2 while forward and rear pairs of chains in the second section are indicated by 20 and 22. The chains of the pairs are disposed relatively close to one another as indicated in Fig. B'Where 24 indicates the outer chains and 26theinnerchains` of the pairs of chains of the first section. In the sec-Y v ond section the chains are similarly disposed.

The endlesschainsof each `section arefsup-u ported by sprockets so that thechains extend ifi in horizontal and` Vertical runs and some or any desired ones of the sprockets are driven for driving the chains, all as will hereinafter appear. In both sections there are disposed between the pairs of chains a plurality of supporting members such as 28 for supporting and conveying goods.

The supporting members are flexible and may be of fabric or the like. The forward and rear ends of the supporting members 23 are carried by the outer and inner chains respectively. i' 747kTo `accomplish'fthi's the ends of the members may be formed to provide tubes in which are rods such as 32 and 34 as in Fig. 3. The rods 32 are e Iassociatedvvith links of chains 26 while the rods 34 are carried by brackets 35 associated with the other chains 2 4 The rods areso arranged in the links and `brackets,` or the rods are so mounted on the supporting members, that they may turn when the'chains pass around sprockets. This is so the supporting members may maintain horizontal goods-supporting positions when the chains move horizontally, vertically, or move from vertical to horionztal positions, or vice versa, ,e l

The sprockets are either rotatable on shafts carried Aby bearingl brackets associated with the walls or a frame work or are xed on shafts which are rotatable in the brackets. Typical sprockets 4D, shafts 42, and brackets are indicated inFigS.8and9; v -v The sprockets are so disposed asto each section of the conveyer that the gocdssupporting members 28 are maintained when supporting goods, in horizontal goods-supporting positions in .the horizontal and vertical runs of the chains as Well as when vertical runs extend into horizontal runs and vice versa. l

The runs 'provided by the arrangement of the sprockets will now be described in detail.

In thefirst section there is a lower levelfinitial horizontal run of chains indicated by E and vertical .runs of chains indicated by 52. The verticalv runs of chains have the 'sprockets for either the inner or outer chains of thev pairs of chains disposed forwardly of the'sprockets for the other chains of the pairs.l The spacing of the chains of the pairs in the vertical run is such as to accommodate the length ofthe supporting members 28. This is so that the members 28 are carried forwardly at the lower level into the vertical runs and as the chains move vertically upwardly the supporting members' aremaintained in hori zontal relation. p f l 'I'he chains from the vertical run 52 extend to the left in a horizontal run 54. VAt the left of said run the sprockets for 'the outer chains are' spaced' forwardlyv of or outwardly from the sprockets for the inner chains,y so that the supporting members.whileinaintained in horizontal relation are carried upwardly and around from the horizontal run Vto a horizontal run 56. The members 28 arej'lnaintained in horizontal relation while the chains pass from a lower run to the vrun thereabove.

At the right of the run 5S the sprockets for the inner chains are spaced outwardly from those for the outer Vchains. so`that chains pass from run 56 into a horizontal run 53 extending to the left., Likewise at the end of' run 58 the chains arel positionedoto provide run to. In this manner, the chains are positioned to provide several, or as manyA horizontalvruns as may be desired, until finally there is an upper horizontal 62.

VAt the end of said run .62 the-chains pass downwardly at .6.4 interim. Plegesyxwjth`1efbei i described.

sessant 'f f warjaiy at. aaahoiizntaiiyat110211190 p thefivlverticaiiyglami thenhrizontaiiytaek a'ir forthguritilfinally-carried bythe' uppermost horizontal run at theflhigher 4level :to 4'a point -at the-"right indicated-by r'I' where-k goods` thereon* are transferred to the second sectionv as Willbelter f" "Tire chains "of the seoondseetienare support-y e'd by sprocket-s varrangedafter the manner de` scribedfso-a's'tmprovide a-ihorizental funi-T6 :attire upper level, a vertical jrunf'l, la horizontal' run 80, a ventical run'f82 and a horizontal runf284.

The supporting members 28 fof fthe-'second'sec- 3.

tion 'While vinra'ntiined'"in horizontal position -at Jthe kkupperlevel'to receive g'oo'dsifrom run' '262 of the iir'st-v section, -the'y move 'to the -righthorizoninitiallriinf5ll.'V Int "is waygf'thesupporting. ori-zontallyiatthe lower l y movement =offlthe imembersS ibut in the item1 the iinvention shown, rods 92 :depending .ffrom `the inen'iber 90 :are slidalole in brackets F94 whichzare lcarriedd-"psyWalls 4, shaft 9'6 one .orieach'nem- 'ber i90 is *rotatable #in lthe braekets 94.

@ne :or more levers' 9B 'xed 'to shafts 95 have roll l'il fon the free ends 'thereof 'that operate 'inslotsrof :the n'ember 9'0, '-as shown,V "The shaft 9'6 is oscillagt'able and as1`it oscillates 1in fone 'direction .for the other Vto @swing levers 18 fuplor down, fthe members 'i511 lare 4moved between supporting.and rion` taiiygdownwardly, to the'le'it, downwardly again and then rto the iight ior womit-10. v 'A .y 'f'llhejchfins betweenthe sprockets, partic'ularf ly-'in the horizontal rllns,' are' supported and ydischarging the goeds 2U guided by 'some suitable meanssucli aselonfgfatd gud'es", shown'in vseetion "in'Fig. 5. Arly other means may be employed, it being desired to maintain "the chains in such fpositions that they -rna-y'be moved relativelyireelygiandiheld in proper, spaced 'relation' and,v alignment'.

relation Yloui'wmeans may f'be Aassociated with the pass.

guideS--fror'spacing vthe'*chai-ns if desired The siippor'tin'g"y guides may-be usecuredto :the walls 'or sorne-supporting structure'. f 'The relative Varrangement-fof `the fchains in fthe sec'ond section as they extend-from 't'he 'horizonta run 'T6 vrto the verticl 1158 isI shown Fig.

such-'as 574' and e558 jto -fr'uns -thereaboveatfthe :left

in theiirstsedtion,isshowninFlgsjS andl HItv will beunderstood that, 'when j tlie pass from a -lior-"izontal run to fa vertical vice versa,yand where it'iis'ldesred to maintain the supporting members Ain Aflrorizo-ntal positions, the sprocketsfor the outer or innerfjc'hains foi n passfaround :sprockets -s'imultai-ieously 'and fare -r'itainediliorizontally in vertical irus;

vvport-ing i mem-bers'fv of one section )to `those anotheras'at T alridfroni=unitf onto the lsupl,v L

' supporting positions.

As i 'the goods 'are transferred from supp-ortingmembers of the `llirst section `12 .to supporting lmembersfoi the lsecon-'d section the members 90 are` in upper supporting position. The :sup-

porting `rn'en-ioers `of 'the firstsection :move .f'hoiizontallyfto the right and lthen vertically downs Wardly while the supporting members of ftnesem' ond section movejfvertieally -u inwardly fand *than the' gap l'between the adjacent ends fof. ad#

`jacent supporting 4members 1273 of theV seotiemfs approach the members 'Q A`the said mero-bers faire moved downwardly antifa-way fromeaohotirerito allow" the en-dsof the supporting members to f Escher the supportato Lthere` maat-cn .at s

opratedbetvveen supporting and @non-supporting position by lmeans simi-lar so 'that l:des'oribetdL Hg mernbersv'28 as their -lirecti'on fo'f 'movement is changed from thehorizontal Ato 'the' vertical or adaceritfgoods-supporting `meti-bers and 4tiro-se ofvv adjacent sections lSio-that' goods ,maybe tiraris- 'feired across 'saidv'gapL f l "Thesprockets of fthe conveyer sections 'imay'be drivenV by various means Aand as manyyolf-t'he' sprockets :nay be driven as may be desired."

cording to lthe"dri-ving 'arrangement 'shown rthere i's vafmain"drive rated units.

for the conveyor and 'the 'assothatissuitably;'ournaliedin bearings 128;, n

porting members as at V'T =or Ldischarged -iroml s.

itate'the@transferleofilgoods A v uch'mea'ns are apro-vided vaftfpoint dicafted S iin Fig. Said fmjeansinclude `in inmounted Vv'for i movement between theV "supporting sit-ion 'downwardly- Land -Ainwadly itherefromf as obliquely Y,between supporting and none-support'- U in'gpssinons'ana'areiforizontaiat an times. By 1 reference to Fig. 9 it will be seen how'tl'ieshelves in supporting positions allow the goods supports to movefrom horizontal 'to Vertical position f while closing` the gap.

Various means may be lprovided to facilitate kvertical*shaft'fF3131-fjcnirnalled'in bearings M2 is geared, as by gears 'jIBdftofgears 13S of Certain' y ofithe sprocket shafts :4l-2 of lthe ifi-rst section.

with ia gear t4/0^ of* af sprocket ysha-it 4'2 ofthe second section. By means of shaft 3i) and the-gears deseribedfsprocketsof the first and Asecond'section aire driven inv timedrelation.

before pointed outthe shafts -iortl-ie'chain sprockets 'are"dispose`d at "opposite sides y"of vthe apparatus. The driving 'mechanism idescri'bed'is I operatively oo'nnectedtothesprookets 'att-loe for- Ward. side p of conveyon For `driving as'inany oft'he "sprocketson the rear side ofl'theiapparatus as maybe desired; such shafts Vas indicatedbyld and |48 may extend transversely through the n apparatus.

The unit 6 referred to make take the form of a feed table or nveyer and includes an endless feed belt 15d thatextends forwardly from and is driven by a drum .or roll 152 that, in turn, is rotated by meansv of a worm 154 in engagement with a wormgear |55 thereof. The unit 8 fis-a coating machine having a belt 158 forconveying the objects to be coatedrand said belt receives the articles to be coated from thebelt 1,56.

The unit4 I0 includes.an ,end less belt y115B errtending from the conveyor ,to4 adriving drum 162 which is driven `by. aworm v163. in` engagement with a worm gear 154 thereof. lThe above re-v ferred to units are illustrated in; a diagrammaticin timed relation with'the conveyor. A shaft 1 '18 is connected by flexible couplings oruniversal joints |80 to the Worm 183l ofthe unit lll andto the shaft 12E, whereby said unit Wis driven in timed relation with the conveyer.

A shaft 184 has one end connected, asby a universal joint E85, tothe driving mechanism Aof unit 6 and its other end is connected in a similar manner, by joint 188 to a shaft 19B journalledin a bearing 192. A clutch member lSlL slid'able back and forth on shaft .126, is adaptedvtoengage and disengage a clutch part |95 on shaft llland a lever for actuating said clutch part-1M is operated bya cam |83 on said shaft 126. Preferably a spring |99 vis provided to urge said lever into engagement with the cam, all as shown.

The parts are so'arranged that the belt 15B is operated intermittently or operated in such a manner asv to provide a gap in the arrangement of goods delivered to belt 15B which agrees with the gap between the goods-supportingmembers of the conveyer apparatus. Y Y

In operation, goo-ds are placed, or received, on the belt 15E! of unit 5 from which they aretransf ferred onto belt 158 of unit 8 for the. coating' or I other operation. From the belt 158'v the vgoods are transferred onto the supporting membersf28 carried by the chains of the iirstsection of the conveyer. 1 v Fonthe transference 'ofv the goods' from" belt 158 toa supporting membery 28A Aofthel lconi'eyer the support Et at T is`in supporting' position. As adjacent ends of adjacent goodssu'pporting members approach the support 91), .the'saidsupf port Sil withdraws from position supporting' one goods support and subsequently returns `to under-v lie the next succeeding' support. 'As previously stated the belt 158 carries goods thereon in such an arrangement as accommodates the lgap tween the goods supports 28 ofthe conveyer land Vis accomplished by vintermittently operating belt |56 b-y means of camoperated clutch members vlilfl and 196. x; i As goods are received on the goods supporting members of the initial run of the convey'er" the goods supports are moved'by'thfe chains horizontally, then vertically upwaidlyvlhile mainf tained in horizontal position,'then horizontally Aback and forth from alowen run ytoani'ipper run and eventually to an uppermost run', from whence they are transferred to goods supporting members of the second section.. The. transfer is,

of course effe cted byy means of the supportsll at T Whihperats @Q @Supportf'the jeoods Supports; 28,;and-c1ds1the ear and thelrmoveirbm supporting position :when adjacent ends of` adjacentgoods' supports 28 approach thesupports 90.

Inthe secondfconveyer section the goodssupf porting, members: are, niredhorizontally downwardly'anjdvertica1ly, thenfrearwardly horizontally and downwardly vertically and finally forwardly -in horizontal position to dischargeI the goods onto Abelt 16D wherethey may beinspected, paclgagedor Wrapped asy may be desired; The supporting memberv 99 at'position '1"'l operates as dothoseat positions T and T.

Ihey operation is vvsuch that the supporting members28 are in continuous movement thereby to overcome thestarting and stopping of parts as in step by step or intermittent operation and obviatethe Wear, shocks and 'strains incident thereto. l Y

By means of the invention it is possible to obtainv the maximum o f travelr of the goods in the minimum of space and thereby provide the desired efficient. operation as pertains Vto conditioning, cooling or other operations asY may bel desired or required in connection with the manufacturing confections andthe like.

Whilel have described the invention in great detail and with respect `to the present perferred form thereof, it is not desired to be limited thereto since'ciianges Iand modifications may be made therein withoutdeparting from ythespirit andscope of the invention. 'I heinvention may be embodied in other specific forms without de? parting from the essential characteristics thereof. 'lfhepresent embodiment is thereforeto be cons ideredn all respectsasillustrative andv not re strictive, the s cope of the inventionbeing indi- .Cfated bythe appendedlaim rather .than by the foregoing description, andv allA changes which comewithin ,the meaning and range of equivalency of the claim are thereforeintended to be embraced therein-x f n 7 l.

.What it 4is desired to claim and secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

A conveyor construction` comprising in combi- -nationtwo endlessv conveyors each vcrmsisting of a pair of innerchains and a pair ofouter chains, cross rods l connecting :the vchains of each pair, flexible goods supp orts having their forward ends supported by the cross rods of one pair of chains and their rearward ends supported Aby the cross rods of the other pair of chains, supporting and driving `sprockets for said endless conveyer chains whereby each conveyor traverses ahorizontal run anda verticalrun, the horizontal'runs beingy aligned and moving-in the same direction for transfer'of goods therebetween, and the vertical rju'nsj moving oppositely closely adjacentone another, movable membersffunderlyingthe paths of the respective conveyors,V adjacent the transfer point forengagement.wi thsaid flexible goods supports, and vnfieansfor." shifting said movable kmembers betweensupporting and non-supporting positions in timed v relation with the passing ofv said flexible goods supports, whereby as goods are transferred-from one conveyer to `the other the transfergap between them is reduced toa minimum. v 

